As soon as he stepped in, he knew that all the wooden items in the store were of high quality. After all, the smell of top - grade wood was different from that of synthetic wood. The chair he was sitting on now must have cost at least five digits. Not to mention the more elaborate furniture and the several small antiques on the shelf behind the little fox.
"It cost me a fortune, but it's okay. I'll earn back all the money I've spent!" Rong Lan, sitting behind the wooden table, pulled open the drawer and took out a packet of tea leaves. "Can you make tea?"
Si Mo glanced at the tea set. "Such a simple thing? Of course, I can."
Hearing this, Rong Lan pushed the tea leaves towards Si Mo. "Then the task of making tea is yours."
While Si Mo was making tea, Rong Lan picked up Si Mo's folding fan and played with it. "This fan of yours is a magical tool, isn't it?"
Si Mo glanced at the fan unfolded by the little fox. "It's a magical tool in my hands, but just an ordinary folding fan in others'. Little fox, since you can sense that it's a magical tool, it means your cultivation is almost restored, right?"
"Almost!" At the mention of this, Rong Lan happily shared with Si Mo, "The spiritual energy in my new house is much more abundant than in ordinary places. Practicing there will definitely yield twice the result with half the effort. So it won't be long before I can restore my cultivation."
"Well, it seems you made a right choice in getting married. Even the heavens are on your side." As he said, he poured hot water to wash the delicate and small teacups. "Little fox, where did you get the confidence that you can make money from this fortune - telling shop?"
He still didn't think anyone would come in.
This place was in a relatively remote corner of the mall, and in this era, few people would go to a fortune - telling shop to have their fortune told.
Rong Lan tilted her head. "If I said I divined for my fortune - telling shop, would you believe me?"
Si Mo really wanted to say no, but as the little fox's employee, it would be beneficial for him if the little fox made money. So he wanted to convince himself to believe it just this once.
After drinking cup after cup of tea, just when Rong Lan was so bored that she wanted to take out the playing cards from the drawer, the bamboo curtain hanging at the store's entrance rang.
Someone rushed in from outside, making the bamboo curtain rattle.
The person stood still in the store, gasping for breath.
Si Mo, who had been secretly practicing, silently loosened the hand that had been making hand seals. Rong Lan, whose hand had already reached into the drawer to get the playing cards, silently pulled it out. The two of them sat up straight in unison.
The person who rushed in had short, clean and refreshing hair, delicate features, and a neutral dressing style. Rong Lan silently analyzed the person's causal line and then realized that it was a girl, and she seemed only one or two years older than her.
Xie Xinxin caught her breath. Seeing Rong Lan and Si Mo staring at her seriously, she shivered, quickly walked to the empty chair in front of the wooden table and sat down. Her eyes were bright. "Am I the first customer here today?"
Si Mo, sitting on the side of the table, had a complex look on his face and slowly nodded.
Seeing Si Mo nod, Xie Xinxin finally let out a sigh of relief. She patted her chest and stared at Rong Lan with eager eyes. "Master, I want to have my fortune told!"
Rong Lan was so startled by the word "master" that she trembled all over. "You just believe that I'm a master like this?"
This was completely different from what she had imagined. She thought that the customers who came in would at least question her age. Then she would analyze their causal lines and tell them something about their past so that they would trust her ability. But this girl came in and called her master right away, looking at her with full trust. It just didn't feel real to her.
Xie Xinxin was stunned for a moment. "Aren't you the master? Did I mistake you? Could it be..." She turned to look at Si Mo.
Sensing the human's gaze on him, Si Mo immediately waved his hand. "No no no, I'm not the master. I'm just a junior who pours tea for the master. You can tell the master your problems."
As he said, he poured a cup of hot tea for the first customer since the store opened and placed it in front of her.
Xie Xinxin's gaze returned to Rong Lan.
Rong Lan was so flustered by the girl's look of absolute trust that she cleared her throat and hesitated before speaking. "Miss, you can first tell me what you want to have divined, and then just write the last character of your name on this piece of white paper."
As she said, she pushed the white paper and the signature pen in front of Xie Xinxin.
Si Mo glanced at the little fox.
Actually, Rong Lan didn't need such a complicated procedure to tell fortunes. She just needed to analyze the customer's past according to their causal line and then get a general idea of their future. But she was afraid of being called a swindler if she didn't use any medium, so she had to learn from her aunt's way of fortune - telling when she set up a stall.
"I'd like the master to help me divine my love life." Xie Xinxin said as she picked up the pen and wrote her name on the white paper. "Master, you may not know that I've been single for 25 years. I really want to know when my Mr. Right will appear."
The little fox, who had been single for 500 years before getting married: "..."
Si Mo, who had been single for thousands of years without ever being in love: "..."
Only 25 years. It was really... a short period.
Si Mo looked at Xie Xinxin several times, his finger constantly rubbing one end of the folding fan. Seeing that the little fox was really going to seriously help this first customer divine her love life, he sighed and finally spoke up. "Lunch time is coming soon. If you don't mind, miss, you might as well stay and have lunch with us."
Si Mo's words came so suddenly that Rong Lan looked up at him. Then she followed his lead and extended an invitation. "Yes, it's already past eleven o'clock. I may not be able to divine it well in a short time. If you have time, miss, why not have lunch with us?"
Si Mo would never suggest having lunch with a human for no reason.
So, did he see something special about this girl?
Xie Xinxin hesitated. It was her first time going to a fortune - teller, so she didn't know if Rong Lan's words about not being able to divine it well in a short time were true or not. Helplessly, she had to nod in agreement. "Okay, then—"
"I'll place the order!" Si Mo took out his phone.
Rong Lan thought Si Mo would ask them what they wanted to eat, but after Si Mo said he would place the order, he just started looking at the take - out options on his own. After a while, he said the order was placed, without asking for their opinions at all.
Rong Lan thought deeply. Normally, Si Mo would definitely ask for their opinions. After all, he was a gentleman. But this time he didn't, which was really worth thinking about.
"The take - out will arrive in about half an hour. Miss, have some tea first." Si Mo tapped on the phone screen.
Xie Xinxin: "Okay..." Did this count as her coming to get a free meal?